We’re Behind Ghana Gas CEO–NPP Group
TheNew Patriotic Party (NPP) executivesin the three Nzema constituencies in the Western Region have rejected the callson President Akufo-Addo to sack Dr. Ben Asante, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana National Gas Company Limited.
According to the party in the Ellembelle, EvalueAjomoroGwira and Jomoro, the demand by some polling station executives of the NPP in Ellembelle is a misplaced one, pledging their unflinching support for the CEO.
In separate statements, the constituencies explained why they back Dr. Asante, in the midst of the agitation, to continue his work at the company, located in Atuabo in the Ellembelle constituency.
The constituencies listed efforts and unprecedented projects, among others, initiated under the tenure of Dr. Asante, including scholarships, jobs and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) internship, all in his bid to develop the area.
For instance, in the Jomoroconstituency, a statement signed by the constituency chairman, Simon Amoah, said, “We have a good relationship with the CEO of Ghana Gas and the support he has provided at his level to the party and individuals within the party has been unprecedented in the history of the party in Jomoro.”
It further said, “We are aware that he supported each of the three parliamentary candidates and the party in the 3 Nzema areas in the 2020 elections.”
The reactions of the constituencies follow a demonstration by some polling station executives in the Ellembelle constituency during this year’s Kundum festival last week, calling for his immediate removal.
The group, who are now being described as “faceless” and doing the bidding of others within the NPP, accused the CEO of sabotaging the party and also peddling untruths.
During the protest on Sunday, October 30, at Atuabo, to air their concerns, a member of the peeved group, Yannick Akrowie, accused the CEO of sidelining them when it comes to job recruitments.
They promised to agitate and demonstrate against his stay until the President grants them their wish, accusing the CEO of working against the fortunes of the NPP in the 2020 elections.
He accused Dr. Asante of also peddling falsehood, calling his claim that some locals have been approved for industrial attachment as a “lie.”
“Schools are already opened for the 1st semester, so your claim that more have been approved and waiting to be called is another lie,” he said.
According to Mr. Akrowie, Dr. Asante does not respect the Ellembelle NPP Constituency Executives, rejecting a claim by the Ghana Gas CEO that some 47 tertiary students are doing their industrial attachment with thecompany.
The aggrieved party executives said that, out of the 47 students, no indigene is engaged as part of the attachment programme, disclosing some 15 indigenes, recommended for such purpose, were flatly denied the opportunity.
“Everything you (Dr. Ben Asante) have written here is false, but I would want to tackle point two. In your point number 2, you claimed to have taken 47 students on industrial attachment this year. In this 47, Ellembelle had zero.
“You deliberately ignored the 15 people the Ellembelle Constituency Executives presented to you for a common industrial attachment,” he fired.
He added, “Total insult on the party in Ellembelle. You (Dr. Ben Asante) has no respect for the party. How on earth would you ignore the list of the very party executives who worked tirelessly so that the party retained power and secured you your job as a CEO?
Read Below The Various Statements From The Three Constituencies Unedited:
- BEN ASANTE IS AN ASSET TO THE NZEMA ENCLAVES – THREE (3) NZEMA NPP CONSTITUENCIES DECLARE
The New Patriotic Party constituency executives of the Ellembelle, Jomoro and EvalueAjomoroGwira boldly supported by Concerned Grassroots of Nzema- Jomoro has, in separate statements, showed their appreciation and support to Dr. Ben Asante, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Gas Company Limited, for his competence and support towards the development of the Nzema Enclaves where the operational activities of the Ghana National Gas Company is located.
In a separate statement from the EvalueAjomoroGwira NPP signed by the Constituency Chairman, Mr. Nana EffateBeyeeman, and supported by all his Constituency executives and polling station executives, are of the view that Dr. Ben Asante has been instrumental in the development of the Nzema Districts in terms of Jobs,CSR projects and as such must be supported to continue his desire to improve the living conditions of the people of his community in line with the agenda of the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo- Addo to developing the Western Nzema Enclaves.
“EvalueAjomoroGwira Constituency has had her fair share of CSR projects, recruitments, scholarships, internships and national service opportunities under the leadership of Dr. Ben Asante with support from our former MP, Hon Catherine AbelemaAfeku.
Support for traditional authorities since 2017, especially in the conduct of quarterly traditional council meetings, Kundum festival celebrations, is worth mentioning, according to the EvalueAjomoroGwira NPP.
Again, according to the EvalueAjomoroGwira NPP, Ghana Gas is now a household name in their Constituency due to the visionary leadership of Dr Ben Asante in decentralizing opportunities for the three Nzema Districts in terms of jobs, CSR projects and recognition. This was not the case prior to 2017.
In terms of recruitment, the Constituency said, “our Constituency can now boldly count of more than ten people recruited by Dr Ben Asante as CEO since 2017.
Not a single person from the Constituency was recruited previously. They argued that before Dr. Ben Asante was made CEO, no one, not a single person from Gwira, held an officer position with the company. As we speak, we have officers from Gwira state in respectable positions at Ghana Gas.”
They equally went ahead to state that ” the Ghana National Gas Company, under the leadership of Dr Ben Asante, is currently in the process of constructing an LPG Bottling Plant under the cylinder recirculation module in EvalueAjomoroGwira constituency.
This project, when completed, will create employment opportunities for the youth of Nzemaland and make a huge impact on our local economy.”
Recently, Axim Government Hospital received modern theatre equipment from Ghana Gas worth one million Ghana cedis to help boost quality health care delivery and augment government’s efforts in the health sector under the leadership of Dr Ben Asante.
Ghana Gas constructed and commissioned a mechanized borehole at GwiraEshiem and built culvert bridges and concrete pads on the Fantekrom – Nuabesa feeder road.
EvalueAjomoroGwira has also stated that they are solidly behind Dr Ben Asante, now and forever, in the discharge of his duties for the Ghana National Gas Company Limited since the country needs his competence in managing the state company.
The Jomoro Constituency equally, in a statement signed by the Constituency Chairman, Mr. Simon Amoah, stated that “we have a good relationship with the CEO of Ghana Gas and the support he has provided at his level to the party and individuals within the party has been unprecedented in the history of the party in Jomoro. We are aware that he supported each of the three parliamentary candidates and the party in the 3 Nzema areas in the 2020 elections.
More specifically, until he was appointed the CEO, Jomoro could not boast of more than three employees of Ghana Gas but currently, we can boast of 13 new employees under his leadership. You can therefore imagine the number that would be employed in Ellembele, which is the immediate project-affected Constituency.
The party in Jomoro has also stated that, through his leadership, the party secured several internships and NSS slots for the people of Jomoro, especially party members.
In the area of the project, the Jomoro NPP has stated that they are aware that through the efforts of the past and current MCE, Ghana Gas has initiated several projects within the Jomoro Constituency. Some of these projects include; the automation of the Half-Assini Hospital, the renovation of the Beyin Catholic School building, the construction of Half-Assini Town road and Jaway Junction to Magyea road, the renovation of the doctor’s bungalow at the Half-Assini hospital as well as the renovation of Half-Assini Catholic school. These are all projects lobbied by the past and present MCEs through the office of Dr. Ben Asante.
The party in Jomoro has said they are grateful that Dr. Ben Asante continues to promote the image of the party and the development of the Jomoro Constituency.
The Jomoro Constituency has argued that they wish to assure Dr. Asante that he has the full support to continue providing the needed employment opportunities to the party youth and developmental projects for the benefit of the people of Jomoro and the Nzema enclaves.
The constituency executives of the Ellembelle Constituency, in a statement signed by the Constituency Chairman Mr. Sampson Ndoli, have also stated that the constituency executives render an unqualified apology to the CEO of Ghana National Gas Company Limited for the attempt by the aggrieved persons to drag his name into internal disrepute within the Ellembelle Constituency over the past few days which has equally generated the release from the three NPP Constituencies within the Nzema Enclaves to through their weight behind Dr. Ben Asante for his excellent work for the Ghana National Gas Company Limited.
Moreover, The Concerned Grassroots of Nzema – Jomoro, in a statement, has stated strongly that they support the continuous stay of Dr. Ben Asante in office and oppose the calls by the group, in that their request smacks of hatred, envy, witch hunt, unprovoked inquisition and persecution of a harmless servant working in line with the vision of the President of Ghana.
The concerned Grassroots Nzema stated that Dr. Ben Asante must be left to continue his energized, spirited and patriotic agenda of serving his nation and delivering the needed development to the people, especially, Nzemaland.
They stated that they’re proud and would never shy away from sharing a few of his achievements since he took office as Chief Executive Officer of Ghana National Gas Company Ltd since it has been unprecedented in the history of Nzema.
The group went ahead to state that Dr. Ben Asante developed the Gas Infrastructure Master Plan for Ghana in 2008, first Technical Director of Ghana’s first Gas Infrastructure Project, supervised the increment in the working population of the company from 150 to 950, Construction of 5 bedroom house for the Medical Superintendent at Half Assini, Renovation of a Six (6) unit classroom block for Catholic primary school in Half Assini, Construction of Ultra-Modern Trauma Centre located at Atuabo, Construction of Four Unit teacher’s Quarters each for AsemdaSuazo and Anokyi, Construction of Astroturf parks for Karela and Nzema Kotoko football clubs in Nzema, Donated a 33 seater Coastal Bus to Ellembelle elderly care.
According to them, the visionary leadership of Dr. Ben Asante has ensured that GHC40 million meant for the development of Nzema has been set aside for the Nzema development.
They also stated that he has increased the number of Nzema’s working at Ghana Gas from 37 to more than 190. That’s over 40% increase in employment of Nzemas, Taken more than 150 Nzema students on industrial attachment, etc.
Source: Anchorghana
